THIS PHASE I PROGRAM WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING ALUMINUM-BRONZE MATRIX COMPOSITES FOR SMALL-CALIBER GUN BARRELS BY FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF THESE MATERIALS.

THIS PHASE I PROGRAM WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING ALUMINUM-BRONZE MATRIX COMPOSITES FOR SMALL-CALIBER GUN BARRELS BY FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF THESE MATERIALS. THE MATRIX ALLOY IS BASED ON CU-7A1-2TI, AN AGE-HARDENABLE ALPHA-TYPE ALLUMINUM BRONZE. CERAMIC PARTICLE ADDITIONS (SUCH AS B4C, TIC, AND AL203) TO THE MATRIX MATERIAL BY POWDER-METALLURGY TECHNIQUES WILL BE MADE TO CREATEA SUBSTANTIALLY LIGHTER BARREL THAN THE STEEL BARRELS NOW IN SERVICE. ADDITIONAL BENEFITS WILL BE REALIZED BY THE HIGH STRENGTH, EXCELLENT CORROSION RESISTANCE, HIGH WEAR RESISTANCE, AND GOOD THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF THIS COMPOSITE MATERIAL SYSTEM. PROPERTIES OF EXISTING STEEL GUN-BARREL MATERIAL WILL BE COMPARED TO THOSE OF THE ALUMINUMBRONZE COMPOSITE TO SHOW ADVANTAGES AND PAY-OFF THAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM USE OF THIS NEWLY DEVELOPED MATERIAL. THE FINAL REPORT WILL PRESENT FROM USE OF THIS NEWLY DEVELOPED MATERIAL. THE FINAL REPORT WILL PRESENT THE FABRICATION AND EVALUATION RESULTS ALONG WITH PHASE IT TASK RECOMMENDATIONS.